text:
The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) has been a strong investment for many years thanks to great operations and smart diversification. This has helped the company pull ahead of competitors like DreamWorks Animation (NASDAQ:DWA) and Twenty-First Century Fox (NASDAQ:FOX). That diversification, which includes the company's ownership of sports network ESPN, is just one more instance of why Disney continues to win, and will do so long term. Here is how Disney is continuing to win from the World Cup this summer -- just one more reason why this company is a long-term winner.
Disney is winning this summer from the World Cup
Disney owns, or is a majority stakeholder in, multiple brands such as A&E, ABC, and, most importantly this summer, ESPN. As Americans are more and more interested in soccer during this World Cup -- which is proven by record viewership numbers -- ESPN continues to gain from this influx of viewers. Each of the three U.S. games have set an ESPN soccer record, starting with the game with Ghana, then Portugal, and finally, the 10.8 million record set by the U.S./Germany game.
Disney, through ESPN, paid $100 million for the broadcasting rights for the 2010 and 2014 World Cup tournament. Once again, Disney made a good bet, as these broadcasting rights continue to bring record viewers to the channel. With soccer viewership on the rise, having increased 22% from the 2006 to 2010 World Cup, this was a smart move for Disney, which has seen the trend continuing to grow. The company is looking to use this World Cup to gain long-term market share for its ESPN network.
While Disney is winning this summer on its bet with the World Cup, what will happen when the tournament ends? Disney's $100 million investment for this was a steal compared to the nearly $250 million that Twenty-First Century Fox has paid for the same privileges during the next two World Cup events. How will the investment go for Fox? investors will have to wait and see. But Disney is winning on much more than just the World Cup; here's why Disney is a long-term winner far beyond this summer.
Disney is a continuing win on diversification
Disney operates in five major segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products, and interactive. Disney's main business, media, accounts for 49% of the company's operating portfolio, which has come, in part, from the company owning and growing diversified media networks, such as ESPN. This includes other smart media diversification, such as the purchase of Lucas Films, which Disney is now taking advantage of by creating a new TV series based on the popular Star Wars movies. This is likely to bring a large revenue stream to the company during the next few years.
Disney has a winning brand
While these smart operations and subsidiaries are helping Disney to stay diversified and grow from many different sectors, the company itself has incredible long-term brand strength that has kept it dominating the market for decades. Disney ranked No. 14 on Interbrand's 2013 Best Global Brands. This is just for the main Disney brand name, and doesn't include the various subsidiaries such as ESPN and LucasFilms, which it will use to launch Star Wars VII in late 2015.
Disney's brand strength has grown from decades of producing incredibly well-received and profitable movies. While the company still drives revenue from merchandising classics such as Snow White and Aladdin, it certainly is not holding on to past successes. The company's recent hit, Frozen, was the highest-grossing animated film of all time, proving that Disney has what it takes to keep the success and brand growth coming.
Unfortunately, for a competitor like DreamWorks, this has not been the case. Shares dropped 11% immediately following How to Train Your Dragon 2 -- it's been a tough few quarters for DreamWorks.
While owning great subsidiaries and having good brand strength are two things that make Disney an exciting bet, what should really please long-term investors is the company's strong financials. Expanding revenue and rising net income have rewarded Disney investors during the last few years, and there's no reason to think that this is stopping anytime soon.
Most of all, Disney is winning on the bottom line
By revenue alone, Disney has outpaced the industry with 47% growth during the last 10 years, and 7% in 2013 alone. Net income is an even more exciting attribute of Disney's strong operations, as the company was able to grow income by 162% during the last 10 years, and 30% during the last year.
Disney is, by far, the largest player in the industry by revenue and market cap, nearly twice as large as the next-largest company, and so far, much more profitable. Disney has proven again and again that it is innovative and growth oriented, regardless of its size. Clearly, the company has been successful at this, which is shown by its strong long-term profitability and continuing market dominance.
Foolish conclusion: Though not cheap, Disney is a long-term winner
For current investors, Disney has been a great growth opportunity. Hold tight -- there's no reason to sell even after the stock has increased. For new investors looking to get in, there are plenty of reasons to believe this stock is still a great long-term play, thanks to its great subsidiary operations, strong brand, and great financial position.
The current P/E ratio of 21 makes the company slightly more expensive than competitors, and the market in aggregate; but that should be expected, as few other companies can show as much value strength as Disney has shown. The World Cup this summer is only one reason to believe that Disney is a winner.


text:
Amazon and Valentino are teaming up against an alleged counterfeiter of Valentino’s Rockstud pump.
The Seattle-based e-tailer and Italian luxury label today announced that they have filed a joint lawsuit against Buffalo, N.Y.-based Kaitlyn Pan Group, LLC. Amazon and Valentino claim that Kaitlyn Pan copied the Rockstud pump and offered the style for sale both on Amazon.com and on its own website. Amazon said it shut down Kaitlyn Pan’s seller account in September 2019 but claims that the brand continues to sell counterfeits on its own site — despite receiving multiple notices of infringement as well as a cease and desist order. In addition, Amazon and Valentino claim Kaitlyn Pan attempted to apply for a U.S. trademark on the allegedly infringing style, “flagrantly and willfully disregarding Valentino’s intellectual property.”
This marks the first litigation filed by Amazon jointly with a luxury fashion label, as well as Valentino’s first time filing a suit in conjunction with an online retailer. Similar to past joint litigation filed by Amazon, Valentino will receive any proceeds from the suit.
“The vast majority of sellers in our store are honest entrepreneurs but we do not hesitate to take aggressive action to protect customers, brands, and our store from counterfeiters. Amazon and Valentino are holding this company accountable in a court of law and we appreciate Valentino’s collaboration throughout this investigation,” Amazon VP of customer trust and partner support Dharmesh Mehta said in a statement.
In 2019 alone, Amazon said it invested more than $500 million into protecting its stores from fraud and abuse, with over 8,000 employees working to crack down on counterfeits. The retailer says 99.9% of products viewed by consumers on its site have not received a valid counterfeit complaint, and that it reports all confirmed counterfeits to relevant authorities.
Although Amazon says it has invested in cracking down on counterfeits, the retailer has in the past been criticized American Apparel and Footwear Association as well as by fashion brands for its purportedly lax policing of third-party listings, which can result in fraudulent listings. Citing a variety of reasons, including counterfeits and lack of brand control, several major shoe players have decided to cut ties with Amazon in recent years.
For instance, Birkenstock Americas CEO David Kahan has been vocal for years about the brand’s problems with Amazon. After Birkenstock severed ties with Amazon in 2016, Kahan argued that its open marketplace fosters an environment of “unacceptable business practices,” such as counterfeit products and unauthorized sellers that show “a blatant disregard for our pricing policies.” Meanwhile, Nike announced in November that it had ended its two-year pilot program with Nike, citing a desire to focus on “elevating consumer experiences through more direct, personal relationships.” Vibram also made the decision to stop selling on Amazon in 2019.
At the same time, Amazon has taken steps in recent years aimed at beefing up its fashion business. In addition to introducing its own in-house labels, such as The Fix, the e-tailer introduced Prime Wardrobe in 2018, a service that allows customers to try items on before committing to their purchases, and it launched launched Personal Shopper, an outfit-in-a-box service similar to Stitch Fix and Nordstrom’s Trunk Club, in August 2019. What’s more, Amazon in March 2020 debuted “Making the Cut,” a fashion competition show with winning looks instantly available to shop online.

domain: news


text:
Automakers Are Gearing Up For Electric Vehicles
I think nearly all of us saw this coming. With all of the focus to eventually phase out internal combustion engines, numerous automakers are in a hurry to build factories that will produce electric vehicles and batteries.
Although their time table is still up in the air, Toyota plans to build a new $1.29 billion factory here in the United States but they haven't said where yet. Their plan is to manufacture batteries for both hybrid and fully electric vehicles starting in 2025. Wherever they do decide to build it, the plant should be good news for the economy there as they look to ramp up production with close to two thousand employees.
Ford and General Motors had announced a while back plans to build five battery factories as they see the switch to electric coming. I'm sure that prompted Toyota, Stellantis, Volvo, and Foxconn to announce that they are also now making plans to produce electric vehicle component and assembly plants.
According to LMC Automotive, out of around 80 million new vehicles sold globally, only about 4.8% run solely on electricity.
That of course means a lot of money is going to be spent by the auto manufacturers betting that the public will follow their transition and supply the demand that will be required to sustain continued production. It's predicted that as more battery-electric models become available and as governments increase emissions requirements, the share of electric vehicles will rise quickly.
The consulting firm Alix Partners is predicting that gas and diesel powered vehicle sales which add up to about 89% of the market will by 2030 dwindle to sales of around 39%. The consulting firm is also predicting that the sale of gas-electric hybrids which have been around for some time now and run on a combination of gas and electricity will rise from where they are now at about 7% to around 33% by 2030.
Chris Reynolds, chief administrative officer for Toyota in North America, said in an interview with The Associated Press....“All of us are trying to get a fix on how customers will accept electric vehicles, we don’t know for sure, but we have to be ready.”
The announcements being made by the companies mentioned, for the most part have been lacking in numerous details about where and when they will be built, when will they start production, and how many jobs will be created.
Jeff Schuster is president of global vehicle forecasting for LMC Automotive and said "that's because it's “in vogue” for automakers to make such announcements, which are well-received by investors. But he said the plants will be necessary, especially in the U.S., where battery manufacturing capacity was lagging Europe and China." Schuster went on to say “Behind the scenes this has been building as we look at moving to electric vehicle technology globally. This is the foundation. You need the batteries before you can get there.”
For the full story, click here.
How do you feel about making the transition to an electric vehicle and perhaps you already have. Please give us your thoughts.
LOOK: See how much gasoline cost the year you started driving
Texas Companies, From A to Z


text:
DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The “Drone Doorstep Deliveries – Technology is NOT Living up to the Hype” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.
With the strong expansion of online retail during the last decade, the biggest firms involved in the online retail value chain have begun to focus on improving their efficiency by perfecting their logistics chains.
Especially, the tasks of handling and shipping, which have been seen as both a cost-burden and inhibitor for the growth of online retail, have urged online retailers and postage companies to innovate, finding new, more efficient ways to perform them.
The technological evolution in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) has pushed the idea of shipping goods as one of their potential uses.
Moreover, the significant investment in drones has been based on the ambitious assumptions that drones can be more efficient, delivering at considerably lower costs, higher speed, and with a lower carbon footprint than conventional deliveries with a van and a driver. Nonetheless, the economics of delivery services are too complex to provide a clear cost advantage to drone deliveries.
- The main developers of drone delivery services worldwide, which include Amazon, Google, FedEx, UPS, DHL, Rakuten and JD.com, have drone delivery operations up and running, but their scale remains limited to the pilot stage due to lengthy and strict regulatory processes or in other cases, it is focused only on certain last-mile delivery areas where drone delivery is the last option. In both cases, online retailer and delivery providers appear to be either far from widely adopting drone deliveries, or they do not even aim for it.
- In fact, it is safe to say that the aspirations for revolutionizing the future of logistics with drone deliveries, especially in urban centers, has turned into the hype; that is because these claims cannot be realized at present given regulatory hurdles and many technical issues that have not been worked out or have been overlooked so that the potential of drones for logistics services has not been realistically assessed.
- With the strong expansion of online retail during the last decade, the biggest firms involved in the online retail value chain begun to focus on improving their efficiency by perfecting their logistics chains. Especially, the tasks of handling and shipping, which have been seen as both a cost-burden and inhibitor for the growth of online retail, have urged online retailers and postage companies to innovate, finding new, more efficient ways to perform them.
- Learn how drones are being used in business
- Understand what the hopes for drone deliveries are
- See how some of these expectations cannot be met
- Understand what solutions are likely in future
Reasons to Buy
- What is the hope for drones in business?
- What are the main problems with drones and the expectations of them?
- How can progress be made without drone solutions?
Key Topics Covered:
2. THE RATIONALE BEHIND THE DRONE DELIVERY HYPE
2.1. Ambitions for wide adoption of drone deliveries are biased on the need to achieve cost-savings
2.1.1. The cost advantage of drone deliveries is overestimated
2.1.2. A range bias overestimates drone delivery potential
3. DRONE SERVICE DEVELOPMENTS ARE FAR FROM WIDE ADOPTION
3.1. Drone delivery services still at pilot stage
3.1.1. Google’s Wing and FedEx
3.1.2. UPS Flight Forward
3.1.3. DHL Express and Parcelcopter drone service
3.1.4. Japanese Rakuten and China’s JD.com and parcel drone delivery service
4. SLOW REGULATORY PROGRESS AND UNSOLVED TECHNICAL ISSUES PROVE DRONES’ LIMITED POTENTIAL
4.1. Slow progress on meeting regulation requirements continue to hinder wide deployment of drones
4.2. Lack of consistency on fundamental navigation solutions
4.3. Not every day is a sunny day for drones
4.4. Consumers’ concerns over reliability and safety of drones are valid
4.4.1. Accessibility of delivery zones and security risks, a major drawback
4.4.2. Safety risks to increase at large scale operation
4.4.3. Noise pollution, a crucial factor overlooked
4.5. The future of delivery services does not lie on air, but only for a few exceptions
List of Figures
- Amazon Prime Air drone
- Google’s Wing drone
- UPS Flight Forward drones
- DHL Parcelcopter drones
- Rakuten’s Tenku drone
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/i2olem
Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager
For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470
For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630
For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900


text:
Brazilian startup VAAS (Virtual Asset Analytics & Security), which specializes in monitoring pix & crypto transactions, secured $2M in a pre-seed round. ABSeed Ventures led the investment. Fuse Capital and Honey Island by 4UM also participated in the round.
VAAS helps financial institutions monitor payments and transactions to prevent financial fraud. With blockchain technology, VAAS cross-references on-chain and off-chain data, enabling real-time monitoring of cryptocurrency and pix transactions and automatically blocking suspicious transactions.
“There is an increasing demand for transactional monitoring. With this investment, we will work toward offering a strong security solution for Brazilian financial institutions” explained Gustavo Tremel, CEO.
VAAS plans to develop new products and further integrate artificial intelligence into its proprietary transaction monitoring solutions.


text:
Vauxhall is set to launch a fierce new attack on its bitter rival Ford with this: the next Astra.
Boasting a fresh look and a wide range of engines, the striking hatchback will combine style and driver appeal like never before.
It goes on sale in 18 months’ time, and is the next step in Vauxhall’s renaissance. The new Astra will follow in the footsteps of the Vectra-replacing Insignia – which debuts at July’s British Motor Show in London – as well as the redesigned Meriva, due in dealers here early in 2009.
As with those models, the Astra has received a style overhaul, bringing in a shape which is sleeker than before. And with replacements for big-hitters such as the Volkswagen Golf and Renault Mégane scheduled to arrive within 12 months, that’s just as well.
We told you about the new Astra in Issue 947. But now, our spies have scooped one of the first prototypes undergoing testing – and our main pictures show what’s lurking under the disguise.
The nose is clearly inspired by the Insignia, and wears bold headlights and deep air intakes, while at the rear there is a squat Seat Leon-style tail, as well as distinctive C-pillars.
As well as the five-door shown here, there will be a three-door Sport Hatch model. And as is the case with the current generation, this car will be completely different from its more practical brother, with a rakish tailgate and lower roofline creating a coupé-like profile.
Inside, the Astra will take the fight to the Golf and Ford Focus head-on, with a quality cabin that takes a leaf out of the Insignia’s book. Soft-touch plastics are fitted throughout, while standard equipment will include Blue-
tooth phone connectivity, plus integrated sat-nav and audio technology.
Parent firm General Motors has conceived the newcomer as a world car, and it will share its platform with Saab’s forthcoming 9-1 (see Page 14). Astra mechanicals will also underpin several Chevrolets, including the new Volt, plus the next Aveo and Lacetti.
The model will reach the US, too, wearing a Saturn badge. Diesel isn’t so popular there, but the car’s close relationship with the Volt means a hybrid petrol drivetrain will be available for the first time. A FlexFuel bioethanol model will be offered as well.
In Europe, though, small-capacity turbocharged petrol and diesel powerplants will account for the vast majority of sales. And sitting at the top of the new Astra range will be a 250bhp 2.0-litre turbo VXR version, complete with four-wheel drive.
The rest of the line-up is front-wheel drive, although engineers have developed a new multi-link independent rear suspension set-up. That should ensure the Vauxhall delivers handling to match the class-leading Focus.
Expect to see the first concept car previewing the new Astra at a major motor show in 2009. UK sales will then start a few months later.


text:
The software maker sheds light on the secretive workings of the ambitious holographic headset -- by making us develop an app in real time.
The San Francisco conference may well be the world's largest gathering of game developers, the place to keep an ear to the ground and to get business done.
Technically Incorrect: A California man is flummoxed when AT&T insists he must pay a massive bill that he's sure he didn't deserve.
Technically Incorrect: An encounter with a friend is interrupted by his Apple Watch going off. Oh, the silliness.
Microsoft is still figuring out what to charge for Windows 10 after the operating system will no longer be free -- or how the software will evolve.
Technically Incorrect: Speaking in Massachusetts, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak says humans lost to the machines 200 years ago and that putting computers in a classroom doesn't make kids smarter.
Got a tattoo on your wrist? You could find it difficult to get an Apple Watch to track your heart rate. It's all about the way the ink blocks light from built-in sensors.
The software maker is on a mission to make hardware irrelevant, software the king and Windows the most powerful engine for every device. But the challenge starts now.
With the latest version of iOS and an NFC-equipped iPhone, you'll finally be able to pay for transactions with Apple Pay.
Pricing not available
Joe Belfiore, Microsoft's corporate VP of the operating systems group, took to the Build 2015 stage to go over new Windows 10 features.
The latest major upgrade to Apple's mobile operating system comes with a ton of new features that will be appreciated across the board.


text:
actyv.ai, headquartered at Singapore and a category creator in the enterprise SaaS with embedded B2B BNPL and insurance space, has onboarded S Radhakrishnan, a former CIO and Finance Controller of Nestle, and Rajeev Mittal, Managing Director – India & SAARC, Autodesk India Pvt Ltd, as advisors.
Radhakrishnan comes with 35 years of experience and has worked at the ‘Big 4’ firms in auditing and assurance, taxation, M&A and due diligence. During his tenure as Chief Information Officer, South Asia, Nestle, he led various path-breaking initiatives and successfully launched a key project to implement applications for Nestle’s distributors and business partners. Prior to this, he was Unit CFO, while handling other responsibilities at Nestle. In the last few years, he has been supporting early-stage companies, and enterprises in setting up best practices.
Rajeev Mittal has over 30 years of diverse experience in the IT industry and is currently Managing Director, India & SAARC, Autodesk India Pvt Ltd. Before joining Autodesk, he was the Managing Director – India & SAARC for UiPath, where he set up strategy and drove exponential growth. His market understanding, coupled with data-based analytics and strategic insights, has helped him move the market to new technologies, cover new geographies and build the partner ecosystem. Prior to UiPath, Rajeev led Oracle India’s systems business in India. During his career, he was also the Founder and Managing Director of Amur Search and Managing Director of Avaya, India & SAARC. Rajeev also mentors several technology partners, advising CEOs on how to grow their business, adapt to market trends and opportunities, and manage talent.
Speaking about this, Raghu Subramanian, Founder & Global CEO, actyv.ai said, “We are happy to announce two new additions to our advisory committee – Rajeev Mittal and S Radhakrishnan. Rajeev’s experience and leadership in building organisations in the technology space is well-known. Radhakrishnan is known for adopting technology to drive operational efficiencies and excellence in large enterprises. actyv.ai’s resolve to deliver industry-relevant and outcome-based technology interventions is now further strengthened.”
Commenting on this, Rajeev Mittal said, “Through their technology-driven embedded offerings (BNPL, insurance and finance) platform, actyv.ai is transforming the global B2B supply chain by making business transactions faster and easier. I look forward to being a part of this exciting journey and in helping further strengthen the company’s commitment to enable businesses to manage their supply chain ecosystem more efficiently.”
Speaking about this, S Radhakrishnan said, “I will use my experience and expertise in formulating new initiatives enabled by technology, providing industry-specific insights and advice for deeper market reach and growth. Personally, it gives me an opportunity to work with motivated entrepreneurs and their ambitious team members.” Mediawire


text:
TRENDING ON ONEINDIA
- 2019 Lok Sabha — All You Need To Know
- Hero ISL To Resume From Jan 25th; Kerala Blasters To Face ATK
- Owning A Maruti Suzuki Is Now A Special Occasion — Here's How
- Asus ZenFone Max M2 — Detailed Review
- Why Cheat India — Movie Review
- 7 Best SBI Mutual Fund Schemes To Invest Through SIP
- Benefits Of Drinking Black Coffee
- Vikramshila — The Forgotten University In Bhagalpur, Bihar
OnePlus has rolled out the Android 8.0 Oreo beta build to the yesteryear models - OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T and this year's OnePlus 5 as well. However, the latest one to be launched by the company, the OnePlus 5T is yet to receive the update.
While announcing the OnePlus 5T, the company had confirmed that it will roll out the Android Oreo beta update to the smartphone by the end of this year. It was also mentioned that OnePlus 5 will get the beta build of Oreo by November end. Going by the announcement, it looks like the company is working on the same and that they will be rolling it out via closed and open beta programs.
A recent tweet posted by OnePlus Germany via TheAndroidSoul has also teased that the Android Oreo beta build will hit the OnePlus 5T soon. The tweet shows the smartphone with the Oreo logo and the caption reading "Open Beta starts now". On translating the text on the tweet, it reads, "Christmas is over, but we still have a gift for you! ;) How about with the open beta for Android Oreo on the #OnePlus5T!"
Though the tweet shows that the Open Beta build is all set to reach the OnePlus 5T, the smartphone is yet to be made available for download at the OnePlus 5T ROM Downloads page. Also, our OnePlus 5T units are yet to get the beta build and there are no reports of users getting the update on their devices for now.
While the update is yet to be rolled out to the smartphone, the tweet posted by the Twitter handle of one of the official OnePlus accounts hint that the update will soon hit the smartphones and everyone can enjoy the new features brought in by Android Oreo such as picture-in-picture mode, notification dots, autofill, faster boot times, instant apps and more.


text:
[B&T warns this article deals with themes of a sexual nature that some readers may find offensive] Advances in HIV medication in recent years have proven a boon for plummeting infection rates, however, it’s also made gay men far more complacent about wearing condoms.
Now, Aussie condom manufacturer Celebrate Condoms has unveiled a campaign directly aimed at young gay and bisexual men featuring a condom complete with a rainbow.
The campaign includes a TVC that shows an intimate moment between a peach and an eggplant (yes, not a lot of imagination required there, readers).
Check out the fun spot below, but again, be warned, it’s not one for the easily offended and contains simulated sex and swearing.
According to Celebrate Condoms, the campaign was created after a study, which involved 17,000 gay and bisexual men in the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales, showed that, between 2013 and 2017, the numbers of HIV-negative men taking the pills to protect themselves rose from two per cent to 24 per cent.
During that period, the proportion of HIV-negative men on PrEP having casual anal sex went up from one per cent to 16 per cent, despite a drop in consistent condom use from 46 per cent to 31 per cent.
Commenting on the ad, Celebrate Condoms’ Tim Browning said: “Whilst condoms have traditionally been viewed as a rather boring product, we aim to challenge this negative stereotype and show that safe sex can be fun!
“To engage with a younger audience, we have created a hilarious short animation video, inspired by the weird and wonderful world of emojis that every Millennial who has ever sexted, used GrindR or any other dating app before can understand.”
From Friday, December 4, Snapchatters and Bitmoji users will be able to pair with their own Bitmoji avatars with Levi’s casualwear apparel. The Levi’s x Bitmoji designs will also appear across a variety of experiences on Snapchat including Chat and games, on the Snap Map and in Lenses. All products will be available for purchase […]
John Chaplin (pictured), former Chief Product Officer of Hogarth Australia and Co-founder of award winning digital agency Fusion, has launched a new digital product design company, Diagram. Based in Sydney, Diagram are a collective of creators and makers who partner with individuals, agencies, startups, business and industry to design and build considered, elegant digital products. […]
After announcing the mega acquisition of workplace chat company Slack yesterday, tech giant Salesforce has made a raft of announcements as part of this year’s annual Dreamforce event, which has been held virtually. Headlining the announcements was news of Salesforce Hyperforce, which comes as a reimagination of the company’s platform architecture built to securely and […]


text:
Latest crypto news, opinions and data analysis that move the market.
Elon Musk surpassed Barack Obama and now has the most followed Twitter account in the world.
China and Brazil have reached a deal to conduct trade and financial transactions directly in their own countries' currencies, exchanging yuan for reais vice versa, rather than using US dollar.
Brazilian government representative said “The expectation is that this will reduce costs ... [and] promote even greater bilateral trade and facilitate investment.”
The trade volume between the two countries in 2022 reached $150.5bn.
Twelve hours preceding Binance's indictment, almost $1.5bn of crypto was withdrawn from Binance, Kraken, Coinbase, and Bitfinex. More than half, or $850m, was removed from Binance.
Just one hour after the announcement, Binance saw an additional $240m pulled out, while in the past 24 hours, more than $400m were withdrawn in Ethereum-based funds.
CFTC Chief said the lawsuit against Binance was necessary. He stressed the need for clearer rules and more authority for the CFTC, so that the US customers are not subject to fraud and manipulation.
IMF chief urged institutions for vigilance as risks to global financial stability have increased.
With the global growth slowing to a predicted 2.9%, compared to the historic average of 3.8%, the IMF predicts another challenging year.
She warned of the world possibly splitting into rival economic blocs as a result of geo-economic fragmentation.
This would result in “a dangerous division that would leave everyone poorer and less secure.”
Finally, she urged Chinese policymakers to work to raise productivity and rebalance the economy away from investment and towards more durable consumption-driven growth.
This could not only "offer hope" for the world economy, but also help Beijing reach its climate goals.
On Fragment, which is a marketplace to buy and sell Telegram usernames for TON, users have noticed code lines with the word "Premium."
Some suspect that this indicates a possible Telegram Premium subscription available for purchase on Fragment.
This is based on keywords like "gift," "month," and others spotted alongside "Premium."
Elon Musk has allegedly offered Twitter employees stock grants at a valuation of the company of roughly $20bn, which is less than half of what the platform was purchased for.
This offer appears to be Musk's acknowledgment of the considerable decline in Twitter's value since he acquired it.
Despite this, the $20bn valuation is still notably higher than what the market values Twitter's competitors at.


text:
- $397.99 TCL 48FS4610R Smart LED TV (ROKU)
At midnight the early Walmart Cyber Monday Sales event will start offering a hot 48-inch Sony LED TV deal. Amazon has though a LED Smart TV waiting in the wings.
The first early Amazon Black Friday 2014 deals are here in the Countdown to the Amazon Black Friday 2014 Deals Week sale on Amazon.com. Below we feature one of the best early Amazon Black Friday 2014 Deals you can buy right now. Many early Amazon Black Friday 2014 deals are offered as lightning deals. So timing is everything. There is a lot of dynamics in prices and inventory.
The following early Amazon Black Friday 2014 Deal could ruin one of the hyped early Walmart Cyber Monday deals to go on sale tonight at midnight. The $348 Sony KDL48R470B TV Deal is hot, but Amazon might match it with a Smart TV deal.
Right now Amazon offers the 48-inch TCL 48FS4610R 1080p 60Hz LED Smart TV for $397.99. Walmart’s Sony TV has no Smart TV functionality. Amazon’s TCL TV has Smart TV functionality from the Roku guys. As the TCL is already in the range of Walmart’s Sony deal, I could image that Amazon is matching Walmart’s deal during the 240-hour Walmart sale.
If you are in the market for the Walmart $348 Sony KDL48R470B TV deal, watch also Amazon if they lower the price on the TCL. The brand is not as strong as Sony, but the TCL has a good Smart TV feature and got good reviews including a PC Mag Editors’ Choice.
Check out the 48-inch TCL 48FS4610R 1080p 60Hz LED Smart TV on Amazon.
Browse the latest early Black Friday 2014 deals on sale today.
Win a $5,000 Black Friday Shopping Spree on I4U News.
Shop the first early Black Friday and Holiday Sales of the Season:
When is Black Friday 2014? Black Friday 2014 is on November 28th.
Again Black Friday retailers will have a whole month to market Black Friday 2014 deals and their highly anticipated Black Friday 2014 Ads. We will bring you extensive news, ads, deals and reviews of all what Black Friday 2014 has to offer and will guide you to the hottest bargains like we did in the past years.
If you have a question about Black Friday, send a message to our Black Friday Expert.
Buy Now on Amazon
You /4/Also Like
Share this Story
Read the Latest from I4U News


text:
Bike parking law having effect in Charleston
CHARLESTON (AP) — A new law in Charleston is making the city’s narrow sidewalks a bit less cluttered.
The Post and Courier of Charleston reports that (http://bit.ly/1kW36k0 ) last year city council approved a one-year program prohibiting people from locking bikes to trees, sign posts and parking meters in the busy King Street shopping district.
Those with bicycles must park them in bike racks along the street.
The program seems to be working. Since November, the city has confiscated almost 200 illegally parks bikes and owners had to pay $45 each to get them back.
Police Sgt. Heath King says the sidewalks are more open and businesses love it.
Tom Bradford, director of the advocacy group Charleston Moves, says he hopes the city can keep up with the bicycle parking demand.
Information from: The Post and Courier, http://www.postandcourier.com


text:
Utility introduces e-car charging card
Southern German utility EnBW has introduced a one-for-all charging card for e-cars that will enable its customers to use a network of 8,000 charging stations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, regardless of the operator of the station. E-car drivers would not have to cope with different payment schemes, prices and cards for different stations anymore, EnBW said in a press release. EnBW is currently negotiating with more charging station operators to further increase the network.
Read the press release in German here.
See the CLEW dossier on Utilities and the energy transition for more information.


text:
Colliers International's MENA quarterly review reports the Egyptian city of Alexandria was the top hospitality market in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region for Q1, with a 10 percent growth in occupancy and 27 percent growth in average daily rate (ADR).
"The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations returns to Egypt, and is expected to attract an estimated 50,000 tourists in returning international market," the report noted. "2019 is expected to be another year of positive hotel performance." The report also suggested positive performance in the Egyptian market has resulted in renewed investor confidence, evidenced by the announcement of new hotel projects, such as Steigenberger and Rixos.
In the United Arab Emirates, hotels in Abu Dhabi reported an 11 percent ADR increase for the quarter, up over the same period from the past two years. All other UAE markets reported occupancy declines, even as the region is slated to get an additional 6,500 guestrooms by year's end. Two new luxury hotels opened in Dubai during the quarter (the W Dubai and the Mandarin Oriental Jumeirah Beach), taking the total of newly opened keys to 1,626. Sharjah (219 rooms) and Abu Dhabi (113 rooms) opened one property each during the same period.


text:
Apple has hired popular third party Final Cut Pro plugin developer Tim Dashwood who is known for plugins like 360VR Toolbox. The plugin costs upwards of $1000 and helps in creating 360-degree videos in FCP.
KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in his latest note issued to investors note that the mass production of the OLED iPhone 8 will be delayed to October-November. This is a significant delay as Apple usually starts mass producing iPhones in August/September.
A report from The New York Times details how Uber was flouting Apple’s App Store rules and identifying and tagging iPhones even after its app was deleted from them. The ride-hailing company was doing this to prevent the creation of fake accounts.
In case you were busy this week and didn’t get a chance to check Cydia, don’t worry as we have compiled a list of all the new tweaks that were released in the week which are worth checking out.
If you’re interested in starting an Amazon Business after watching the series of videos of grabbing your piece of the $135 BILLION per year on Amazon but wondering “How all of that REALLY works?”, then you’re about to find out.
When using the YouTube app on iPhone, you can use the scrubber for navigating the video. This is a handy tool for making long jumps in the video but not so good when it comes to making short skips.
Twitter is a popular social media service where users can share messages, tweets, photos and videos, GIFs, and much more. Given the amount of information that can be shared on Twitter, it is important that you keep your account secure and avoid unauthorized access.
Why bother with the monthly fees for your cable subscription when you can get everything you need from SelectTV by FreeCast. Get a 1-year subscription to this massive media library—plus score a free HD antenna with your purchase—from iPhone Hacks Deals Hub.
Snapchat++ is one of the most popular hacks for Snapchat on iOS that brings a number of new features to the app, such as the ability to save photos and videos to your Camera Roll.
The Guardian has decided to stop publishing its content on Apple News and has also stopped supporting Facebook’s Instant Article format. The publication had jumped in on the Instant Article bandwagon last year in a big way.


text:
Small carpentry businesses could benefit from new PPP lending rules
Small carpentry businesses should not overlook a special opportunity to apply for loans from the just announced Paycheck Protection Program.
In new rules announced on February 22 by the federal government, a special two-week period has been set aside from February 24, 2021, for the Small Business Administration to only accept PPP loan applications from businesses under the age of 20. employees.
PPP loans are designed to help businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic meet their expenses, especially salary expenses, and the loans can also be repayable up to 100%. SBA handles the approval process, but all requests are handled by the banks.
Hannah Smolinksi, a financial advisor working with Upside Financial, strongly recommended that all small businesses consider applying for the current round of PPP loans. “Don’t leave money on the table that you could use,” she told a recent webinar.
She noted that the first round of PPP loans was treated strictly as a first-come, first-served program, and many smaller, minority-owned businesses were left out. She said this new cycle is designed to compensate for that. Scott Case, CEO of Upside Financial, noted that even sole proprietorships may qualify. The new program offers increased loan amounts for sole proprietors and independent contractors while removing restrictions on things such as student loan debt.
While 98% of small businesses employ less than 20 people, they have so far obtained only 45% of PPP loans, according to the SBA. Case said changes to the program make it “more accessible” for small businesses and sole proprietorships. He said 90 percent of minority and women-owned businesses were taken out of the first round of PPP loans.
Smolinski recommended that small businesses and sole proprietors look into the program. She warned that companies must have been profitable in 2019 or 2020 and must show that they suffered a significant quarterly loss compared to the previous year.
At least 60% of the PPP loan funds are supposed to be allocated to the payroll, and this can include the owner’s salary. For sole proprietors, Smolinski said the payment is based on your bottom line as shown on your tax return on line 31 of Schedule C. In addition to payroll, P3 loans can be partially used to cover other business expenses such as rent, utilities and the costs of personal protective equipment in the event of a pandemic.
To apply through a bank, you can contact a bank with which you already have a relationship, but this is not necessary. The program is also not limited to physical banks and includes online lenders. “PayPal is one of the biggest lenders in the program,” she said.
For most banks, applicants will be directed to an online portal for applications. Smolinski emphasized that you need to have your business income and tax documents in order. Upside Financial, which helps businesses through the PPP loan process, including application and remission, presented an online webinar on the process, which you can watch below.


text:
Company registered domains related to merger nearly a year ago.
Last March I wrote about how a number of domain names related to a combined American Airlines (AMR) and U.S. Airways had been registered, signaling a possible merger.
Now, nearly a year later, it looks like those domains will be able to be put to good use.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the boards of the two airlines have approved a merger.
The domains included a number of combinations of the two company’s names, as well as some clever domains like aadvantageofus.com (get it? AA, US?).
After the Domain Name Wire story grabbed mainstream attention, brand protection company Mark Monitor worked with either US Airways or American Airlines to throw up a smoke screen by registering other domains. The domains included other airlines such as americandeltaairlines.org and americanunitedairlines.org.
So while my original story’s headline suggesting the merger was “a go” may have been premature, this is another case of domain name registrations tipping off a business’s plans.


text:
A number of games and tech industry analysts have commented on the growing rumour that Apple is set to make its next strategic move into the games industry, effectively turning Apple TV into a games console.
The rumours come hot on the heel of the recent Apple iTablet rumours (that a 9.7-inch touchscreen tablet device is due later in the year from Cupertino).
US games industry analyst Michael Pachter has told IndustryGamers this week that Apple is set to turn the Apple TV into a games console.
"I think Apple has a deliberate strategy. They want to see what they can do with the handhelds - iPod Touch and iPhone - first, then move into console games," Pachter said. "Apple TV is the device that they can turn into a console, and they have essentially the same goals as Microsoft - to turn Apple TV into an entertainment and Internet hub."
"If they can get enough iPod users to download games, it's a natural that they can ultimately convince a large number of these users to buy a game-enabled Apple TV," Pachter added, predicting a 2012 or 2013 launch. "That means that Microsoft has to get enough of a head start to hold them off, which is why I see Natal (a potentially revolutionary Xbox games controller) and a big hard drive for the 360 next year."
"I'm not sure how Apple would proceed initially. It's possible that they open the architecture and go for an Apple TV 'App store' to allow anyone to develop games. We'd get cool stuff like World of Goo or Geometry Wars, but probably not super cool stuff like Gears of War until they bought a few developers. Again, it's the Apple audience they're after, and they would be perfectly happy if everyone who owned an iPod or iPhone bought Apple TV."
TV: Apple's Trojan Horse
The US analyst outlined how Apple TV could be Apple's "Trojan horse" being a "device [that] would be an Internet access hub, and that they could then sell movies and other products. What Apple cares about is getting into the living room, and an Apple TV with games has a higher likelihood of succeeding than an Apple TV without"
Many others in the industry have expressed their own doubts and confusion over the direction of Apple's strategy with its TV product.
"Apple TV has underperformed ever since its launch, but reinventing the device as a games console could help it find its niche," said Reviews Editor of MacFormat, Ian Osbourne.
"The infrastructure is already there, with iTunes geared up for selling applications. As long ago as February 2007, former Xbox Live games guru Greg Canessa listed Apple TV as a conversion option when he joined casual gaming legends PopCap Games, so to be honest, I'm surprised there isn't a gaming edition of the device already," added the MacFormat man.
Gaming is logical step for Apple
Reflecting on the latest Apple rumours, games industry analyst Nick Parker added: "I have said that Apple could enter the games market with a cool device and license a gaming engine such as the Intel Larrabee for its internal software.
"Apple would not want to miss out on the third primary entertainment platform (of movies, music and games) and has witnessed first hand the impact of games through the apps store on their business.
"A hybrid games box (STB) with internet connectivity, hard drive, games engine and USB slot for peripherals is a logical step for any hardware manufacturer, but more so for the likes of Apple with such a strong and complimentary user demographic especially in the growing browser games genre."


text:
Higher operating costs caused by government programs also hurting the sector.
Ottawa-High grocery store prices for fruits and vegetables are turning off consumers from buying them and that is hurting the country’s growers, says Rebecca Lee, Executive Director of Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC).
Fresh fruit prices were up 9.6 per cent in March 2022 compared with the same month of 2021. Vegetable prices in stores will increase by another 6 to 8 per cent in 2023, she told the Commons Agriculture Committee.
More than 26 per cent of Canadians have reduced their consumption of fruits and vegetables in the past year, she said. Even before the pandemic, close to 80 percent of Canadians were not eating the servings of fruits and vegetables recommended by Canada’s Food Guide.
The lower sales have left many of the country with 14,000 fruits and vegetable growers struggling financially, she said. On top of that has been a 40 per cent increase in input costs.
“Fertilizer leads the way, with a 72 per cent increase since 2020. Fuel has gone up 65 per cent while labor has increased by 20 per cent and shipping by 42 per cent.
“Our growers are generally unable to recoup their costs through the sale of their products and 77 per cent of respondents have not been able to raise their selling price in line with their increased costs, and 44 per cent are selling at a loss.”
Growers also continue to be burdened by costs associated with increasing retailer fees, multiple labor and food safety audits, and new requirements to demonstrate sustainability.
“We fully support a strong integrity regime to ensure our food is safe and sustainably grown and that our workers are being treated fairly. However, it is the layering and often duplication of these audits that are some burden to growers. Government is adding to the pressure by introducing carbon disincentives and other environmental goals to meet international agreements, without balancing them with adequate and agile funds to support change.”
Almost three quarters of FVGC members have “had to delay buying equipment or investing in their operations, including exploring new environmental practices, because they simply can’t afford to invest,” she said.
“Produce growers are very susceptible to production risks, which can be extremely high due to the volatility of prices, high dependence on labor and the perishability of production.”
Most growers do not receive any help from AgriStability and AgriInsurance and do not have the safety net available to most Canadian farmers.
There is also a big difference in the amount of support they receive in environmental programs compared to US growers.
“We analyzed them, and green funds are available to Canadian farmers per acre at $2.95 versus over $6 per acre for farmers in the United States. Right there it’s demonstrated that we have fewer supports.


text:
Latest Home appliances Stories
IRVINE, Calif., June 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The importance of water conservation has never been more important, as large sections of the country face alarming droughts and water shortages.
LONDON, June 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportbuyer.com has added a new market research report:
Xcel Energy's Refrigerator Recycling Program offers $50 rebate MINNEAPOLIS, June 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Back by popular demand, Xcel Energy residential electric customers
Ilios Dynamics, a Majority Owned Subsidiary of Tecogen, Sells Units in Ireland and Signs an Exclusive Distribution Agreement with GF Sustainable WALTHAM, Mass., June 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/
New 4160-volt Chromalox DirectConnect systems provide significant installation savings and lower the cost of ownership for multi-megawatt electric process heating systems PITTSBURGH,
Winner of "Best Home Technology Product" at the 2014 NAHB International Builders Show, trutankless is quickly becoming a household name in the homebuilding industry PHOENIX, June 9,
Weather plays a major role in your energy usage DETROIT, June 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Now that we've all survived a brutal winter in which heating bills were a challenge to control, the summer
Xcel Energy's Refrigerator Recycling Program offers cool savings ROSWELL, N.M., June 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Xcel Energy residential electric customers now have an additional reason
GIA announces the release of a comprehensive global report on Household Vacuum Cleaners markets.
SAN FRANCISCO, June 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time in recent history, the entire state of California is in a moderate to severe drought.
The Roomba, sold by iRobot, is a name used for a series of autonomous robot vacuum cleaners that were first introduced into the market it 2002. There have been four versions or generations of Roomba since its creation, with over eight million sales throughout the world. It is capable of moving on its own and avoiding obstacles that are present in the average household, as well as capable of avoiding stairs and other drop offs. It is equipped with a computer chip and the Roomba Open Interface,...
- The word or words serving to define another word or expression, as in a dictionary entry.


text:
The existence of a new Midnight Club racing game may have been leaked online via an Xbox Live profile web page. The profile featured two screenshots and an icon for the game.
The game seems to be a new title based on Midnight Club: Street Racing that was developed by Rockstar Games San Diego and was released in October 2000. The images were posted on Reddit earlier today.
No one likes ads. We know that. But ads help us pay the bills. sentiment_dissatisfied
Please whitelist us in your adblocker software so that we can continue to provide quality content.
The new screenshots reportedly show new licensed vehicles that were not available in the original game, suggesting that the game is a new Midnight Club franchise title.
Whether the screenshots are legit remains to be seen. Rockstar Games has not announced a new Midnight Club game since it released Midnight Club: Los Angeles in October 2008.
You have read this entire article completely free of charge
Consider supporting our independent writers by becoming a subscriber.


text:
iOS 12 was the next big update in the Apple WWDC Event 2018
Yet Another edition of Apple WWDC Event 2018 keynote just wrapped up in San Jose, California. Apple announces major updates to all of its software platform during its WWDC Keynote. This year it runs on 4th– 8th June WWDC highlights software developer workshops, training, parties, and systems administration occasions. All this begins with a keynote speech reporting significant updates to the software running on the Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV and different gadgets. We will be discussing the major updates that are being rolled out in this event.
What did Apple announce at WWDC 2018?
Apple WWDC Event 2018 event was all about software updates, these are developer beta versions available after the event but later this autumn, software updated will be available to general public.
The presentation started focusing on Performance, which they say will double the performance speed like Apps opening twice as fast. This update will be available to all those devices which are currently running on iOS 11. Apple disclosed it’s plans for the AR also the plans for launching ARKit 2. Apple has also announced a new usdz file format for AR software.
The introduction of shared AR environment with multiple devices capable of seeing the same augmented reality environment from their own perspectives, allowing for true multiplayer experiences. Siri has also improved with this updates which allows you to add phrases of your choice to specific apps like finding sports scores. Siri will also suggest apps you might want to use based on your normal behavior, or even things like suggesting you turn on Do Not Disturb at the cinema, or call your friend on his birthday. You can switch off all lock screen notifications at night or during certain calendar events. An activity tracker now shares that you have spend this much time on a specific app. You can also limit the time limit to a certain app like Instagram and Facebook etc.
Animoji was another focus. Not only did Apple add a few new Animoji, along with new ‘tongue detection’, it introduced Memoji, customizable Animoji based on your own face You can even add them in as a sticker effect on top of photos in Messages. iBook is now changed to Apple Book along with a store design, addition of third-party navigation app to CarPlay also features Grouped notification. You can now connect with up to 32 participants on Facetime at a time.
macOS got a few big changes, and it is named as Mojave. The first feature share is the Dark Mode, which is suitable for the darker environments which change the User Interface to Black & Grey.
Another cool element incorporated with the picture editing and notetaking tools gives you a chance to initiate your iPhone from your Mac to open the camera, take a photograph or scan a document, and quickly save that picture straight into the document on your Mac
macOs Mojave, has worked a lot upon their security. Apple presented more grounded and more extensive default security settings for all applications that cover the camera and microphone, strict confinements on tracking cookies online, and more constrained sharing of subtle elements of your Mac setup online to limit ‘fingerprinting’ and tracking of your behaviour
In Apple WWDC Event 2018 tvOS also got a couple of updates this along with a few updates for the Apple TV 4K. The big one is probably the introduction of Dolby Atmos surround sound for the TV 4K, along with free updates to Atmos within iTunes – which will have the biggest scope of Atmos content anywhere.
We were hoping to hear some more details about the upcoming Mac Pro Update for one thing: but Apple’s already said it won’t be ready to launch until 2019, maybe they will launch the Mac Pro for next year’s WWDC. Apple’s also said it will launch a new screen to go with the Mac Pro, but again, we might have to wait another year to learn more.


text:
e-CNY, China’s CBDC, is currently accepted across 26 cities and 17 provinces
DBS has launched a solution to enable businesses in mainland China to receive central bank digital currency (CBDC) payments.
The solution allows corporate clients of DBS China to collect payments from their customers in e-CNY, China’s CBDC, into their CNY bank accounts.
This will allow businesses to collect the new form of digital money without going through a manual settlement process, and to receive payments in areas with limited internet.
China began the pilot phase of its CBDC in 2020. As of the end of last year, there were more than e-CNY13.6b (US$1.9b) in circulation.
The digital currency is currently accepted cross 26 cities and 17 provinces in the country.
The bank completed its first transaction with the e-CNY for a client, through a catering company in Shenzen.
Ginger Cheng, chief executive officer of DBS Bank China, commented: “By seamlessly integrating a CBDC collection and settlement method into our clients’ existing payment systems, this will help position their business for a digital future where consumers in China use e-CNY for their daily activities.
“This showcases our dual commitment of making banking joyful for our clients while actively supporting the development of China’s financial market innovation.”
Lim Soon Chong, group head of global transaction services at DBS Bank, added: “The e-CNY merchant collection solution strengthens DBS’ position as an innovator in digital payment solutions, and marks yet another milestone in our vision of enabling instant and frictionless 24/7 payments for our customers.
“We look forward to building on this launch to explore new digital payment solutions, such as cross-border CBDC payments.”
Currently, 130 countries are exploring a CBDC, and 64 of those are in an advanced phase, either development, pilot or launch.
China is one of 11 countries that has launched. It currently reaches more than 260m people and is being tested in over 200 scenarios, which include public transport, stimulus payments and ecommerce.
Learn more about CBDCs: To CBDC or not to CBDC? That is just one question


text:
Canon U.S.A. Inc.
INTERQUEST, a leading market and technology research and consulting firm serving the digital printing and publishing industry, today announced a powerful lineup of speakers and panelists for its 2012 Digital Book Printing Forum in New York.
According to INTERQUEST President Gilles Biscos, "We strive each year we deliver this event to bring together the primary forces actively developing, refining, and putting into practice digital book manufacturing. This year our attendees will be rewarded with a wide range of perspectives, insights, and experiences offered by our participants. I'm very excited and proud of the lineup we're bringing to New York this year."
Summit Business Media, a leading b-to-b media company, today announced that it has named as CEO Steve Weitzner, former Chairman and CEO of Ziff Davis Enterprise.
The Publishing Business Conference & Expo (PBC) has announced the speakers for its Magazine Executive Keynote Panel.
UBM Electronics, the daily source of essential business and technical information for the electronics industry's decision makers, today announced the appointment of Kathy Astromoff as CEO, effective February 13.
Revamp of UBM Canon's plastics industry media business includes folding print editions of Injection Molding Magazine and Modern Plastics Worldwide.
Charlie McCurdy, chairman and CEO of Apprise Media, will be interviewed by Jim Spanfeller during the 2011 Publishing Business Conference and Expo
Publishing veteran Ron Wall will be leaving his post as senior vice president of publications at UBM Canon, effective Dec. 15.


text:
On October 22, 1939, the first NFL game aired on television. Over 80 years later, the first NFL game was exclusively accessible via a streaming platform. What started as two cameras and eight staffers broadcasting to 1,000 television sets has grown into a worldwide multi-billion dollar industry. Local, national, and international networks bid on the rights to broadcast live sporting events from the Olympics to the World Cup to every league of every sport in every country around the world.
But with the continued rise of streaming platforms, many of which have launched in the last 18 months, the rights to stream live sporting events are increasingly more valuable. This article dives in to the nuts and bolts of sports media contracts, and what rightsholders and streaming platforms should consider in the new era for watching sports.
Sports Broadcasting Agreements
Various leagues and teams control the rights to broadcast their live sporting events, and they license those rights to the various TV networks and increasingly, to streaming platforms. But in addition to the dollar value and terms of these agreements, media rights deals also need to cover the scope of the rights being licensed, whether or not the license is exclusive, the applicable territory, and often, the marketing/sponsorship opportunities for the rightsholder. In the context of streaming platforms, each poses its own set of legal considerations.
Scope and Exclusivity
Whether via broadcast, cable, or digital means of exhibiting content, there have never been more ways for leagues to reach viewers, and they are incentivized to exploit all of them. Networks, which now have their own streaming platforms, seek to widen the scope of rights as much as possible in an effort to preserve whatever cable revenue is left while adding new digital subscribers. A few days ago, for example, Disney/ESPN announced its broadcasting agreement with the NHL through the 2027/28 season. Unlike most other studios, Disney has the luxury of several streaming platforms, including ESPN+ and Hulu, which will be exhibiting games as well.
Meanwhile, newer entrants to the sports broadcasting world have historically been willing to agree to a narrower scope of rights that covers digital streaming but not cable or broadcast TV. Some even sublicense digital rights from the networks. But now that cable is on the ropes, it could be time to deliver the knockout punch.
By making games exclusively available digitally, streamers have an opportunity to accelerate the trend in how fans watch. Of course, the leagues themselves are not quite as excited about the decline of cable and would prefer to be able to license television and digital rights separately and ideally, make significant revenue from each stick of rights. But in all likelihood, the 2020s will continue to see tech companies bid for exclusive rights, meaning that sports fans will cease flicking channels and start opening apps.
With their global reach, streamers can make it easy for any of their subscribers to access their content anywhere in the world. The only thing that stands in the way is what territory they are able to negotiate in their license agreements. Similarly, broadcasts are often licensed for a particular language. But today, technology makes it easy to give viewers the ability to choose what type of commentary they want to hear. Streaming platforms will increasingly negotiate for rights to all languages in all countries that are available to grow their brands globally, even if that is a potential future objective.
With Disney launching Star+ for international markets and Amazon already exhibiting Premier League games in the UK, this process is already under way. And it’s possible that international sports organizations will see some value in broadcasting via the same platform anywhere in the world.
Sponsorship and Marketing
Television networks continue to entice sports leagues with sponsorship and marketing opportunities. Free TV relies on advertising revenue, and it is common for networks to reserve certain advertising slots for the leagues themselves. While streaming platforms can similarly offer ads, they also have the ability to actively engage with viewers to create user-generated content and endless opportunities for leagues and advertisers.
According to one perhaps not-so-“wild prediction”, we might see a move away from a single professional broadcast into a more distributed and customized model. As technology continues to advance, tech platforms could theoretically make every angle of every game of a particular sport available to their users, enabling subscribers to customize their own live broadcasts. Fans and influencers could conceivably start their own live commentary and be granted access to live footage that has historically been reserved for the studio control room.


text:
Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia remains the most shorted stock among the euro zone's blue chip Euro STOXX 50 index as hedge funds bet the company will post disappointing results on Thursday.
Nokia has about 19 percent of its shares out on loan, according to Markit data, despite a 160 percent jump in the stock price since a low in July.
Nokia, which has fallen behind in the smartphone race against rivals Samsung and Apple, earlier this month flagged a return to underlying profitability after massive cost cuts and stronger sales of Lumia smartphones.
The extreme level of short selling on the stock could spark a short covering rally if the company releases better-than-expected results. Analysts expect Nokia to propose suspending its annual dividend payment for the first time in over 20 years when it unveils the fourth quarter results.


text:
PHOTOS: Emily Ratajkowski Strips Down To Her Lingerie For Latest Photo Shoot
Emily Ratajkowski stripped down to her lingerie for her latest photo shoot to promote a new fashion ad campaign for a jean’s company.
The 26-year-old Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model shared a black and white picture taken by photographer Boo George on Instagram from the Fall 2017 campaign shoot wearing jeans with a satin bra. (RELATED: PHOTOS: Emily Ratajkowski’s Shares Pic From Latest Topless Photo Shoot)
Several other pictures from the shoot have been shared on the social media account by the photographer and the jean’s company, including a behind-the-scenes shot of the swimsuit model wearing nothing except a white robe.
Earlier this week, Ratajkowski shared a racy snap with her 14.3 million followers that went viral. In the shot, she’s wearing only a white cropped top with black thong underwear.


text:
Facebook expects to keep spending heavily on VR and AR in 2019.
During its Q3 2018 earnings call earlier this week the company announced that it expects a 40 – 50% increase in spending in 2019 compared to 2018, taking full-year capital expenditure to around $18 billion to $20 billion. CEO Mark Zuckerberg rounded off his opening notes by stating that the company was “heavily investing in AR and VR”, making specific mention of next year’s launch of the Oculus Quest all-in-one VR headset.
Chief Financial Officer Dave Wehner later explained that the company expects to total $14 billion to $14.5 billion in capital expenditure in 2018. “As Mark said, we continue to invest aggressively across the business, and expect that full-year 2019 total expenses will grow 40 – 50% compared to full-year 2018,” he said, putting full-year capital expenditures at “$18 to $20 billion.”
When later asked if this spending would be in the same areas that the company has previously said it will be investing in, Wehner replied: “A lot of that is consistent with what we’ve been talking about as our big investment areas.” He specifically noted that investment in VR and AR was one such area as well as other factors like increased headcount and investment in safety and security technologies.
Obviously Facebook isn’t going to be spending $20 billion on VR and AR next year but with news that the company’s immersive R&D division, Reality Lab, is getting a big new site at the Redmond campus, coupled with the work Michael Abrash showcased at OC5 this year, it’s clear that it’s not going to slow down its spending any time soon. The big question is if Oculus Quest, which launches in spring 2019 for $399, will mark the start of Facebook recouping some of those investments.


text:
We’ve fought for years for labeling of genetically engineered (GE or GMO) food. Now, we need to push for the clear labeling of all GMOs.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is currently considering how to implement the GMO labeling law and they need to hear from you.
As you may remember, a “compromise” bill on GMO labeling was passed last year, but a lot of the decisions about what foods would be labeled, and how they would be labeled, were left up to the USDA. The law includes labeling options other than on-package labeling, such as QR codes and websites, which would only serve to hide the information this law was passed to provide.
Big Ag and food companies have made it clear which option they support for labeling: QR codes. They know consumers don’t use these codes and that “labeling” via QR codes is really no labeling all. The agency has heard from big corporations – now they need to hear from you!
The USDA is also deciding which GMOs are labeled. The labeling law should ensure that ALL foods produced through genetic engineering are labeled, not cave into big Ag’s pressure to avoid labeling their products through a deceptive, narrow definition of GMOs. It is essential that emerging technologies are included in law so that consumers aren’t unknowingly serving as lab rats for loosely or unregulated new technologies.
Comments must be submitted to the USDA by July 17th. There is no docket for these comments, so they should be sent or delivered directly to USDA at email@example.com. Use the sample letter text below to address some of the most pressing issues. Visit USDA AMS to view the full list of questions the USDA is requesting comments on.
Sample Letter Text


text:
Murdoch sells $20m of News Corporation shares
Rupert Murdoch, the chairman and chief executive of News Corporation, has sold shares worth more than $20.5m (£10.1m), according to a US Securities and Exchange Commission regulatory filing. The sale comes after SEC filings revealed Mr Murdoch received $32.1m, with $24m in bonuses in benefits, an increase of 24.9% from 2006. Other recent SEC filings revealed Mr Murdoch's son James, the chief executive of BSkyB, received a cash payout of £3.91m under the terms of long-term incentive plan. The payout comes on top of a near-£3m remuneration package.
Blockbuster buys 59 ChoicesUK stores
Around 450 jobs have been saved at DVD chain ChoicesUK after its administrators sold 59 stores to Blockbuster. Wet weather has helped DVD sales and rentals over the summer but that was not enough to save loss-making Choices. The DVD, CD and computer games retailer went into administration in August. Administrators at PricewaterhouseCoopers said the stores would be rebranded after the sale. Blockbuster is aiming to move beyond rentals into selling films and games. After last week's sale of other Choices businesses to home shopping retailer Findel, PwC has 80 stores left to offload.
Associated British Foods buys 20% of Jordans
Associated British Foods has agreed to buy a 20% stake in Jordans, the breakfast cereal and cereal-bar maker. ABF did not disclose the amount it was paying for its holding in the family-controlled company but analysts estimated the deal was worth about £15m. Jordans, which is based in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, has three UK factories and sales of just over £80m in the year to February. It was founded in 1971 by Bill and David Jordan. ABF, whose brands include Ovaltine, Kingsmill bread, Silver Spoon sugar and Ryvita crispbread, employs 75,000 people worldwide and has annual sales of £6bn.


text:
Comprehensive M&A data with integrated detailed company information
BNDES looking to offload a stake in JBS: Bloomberg
Posted on Friday, 29 November 2019 11:40
The Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) is planning to sell part of its 21.3 per cent holding in Brazil-based meat processing company JBS for around BRL 8.00 billion (USD 1.88 billion), people close to the matter told Bloomberg.
According to those in the know, the group has hired Bank of America, Banco BTG Pactual and Banco Bradesco, among others, to get the ball rolling on a transaction which is likely to take place in January.
However, local media reports stated the possible sale could happen this year, Bloomberg observed.
BNDES has not confirmed a timeframe for the potential deal, but one of the sources, who asked to remain anonymous as the situation is private, told the news provider the planned January date would give the group and the banks time to finalise details for the divestment.
Sao Paulo-headquartered JBS is billed as the world’s largest meat processing company.
It serves over 275,000 customers across 190 countries and is active within the leather, biodiesel, collagen and natural casings categories.
JBS’ brands include the likes of Gold’n Plump, Aspen Ridge, LeBon and Plumrose.
For the nine months ended 30th September 2019, the group posted revenue of BRL 52.18 billion, up 5.3 per cent from BRL 49.40 billion in the corresponding period of 2018.
According to Bloomberg, the sale is in line with Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro’s strategy to reduce the size of the state.
When approached by the news provider for comment, BNDES did not respond.
Zephyr, the M&A database published by Bureau van Dijk, there have been 1,640 deals targeting food manufacturers announced worldwide since the beginning of 2019.
In the most valuable of these, Henan Shuanghui Investment and Development agreed to acquire China’s Henan Luohe Shuanghui Industrial Group for CNY 39.09 billion (USD 5.56 billion).
Arnott’s Biscuits Holdings, Bellamy’s Australia and Voyage Holdings have also been targeted in the sector this year.
© Zephus Ltd


text:
Longer opening hours Privium lounges at Schiphol
Privium expands the opening hours of the two lounges at Schiphol Amsterdam Airport. As a result, frequent flyers with a Privium Plus membership can now longer use the exclusive lounge areas to eat, relax or work before their journey starts.
The Privium Club Lounge, which is located between Departures 1 and 2, is open seven days a week. From Monday to Friday, Privium Plus members can use this lounge from 5:30 AM until 9 PM and during the weekend from 6 AM until 9 PM. The Privium Airside Lounge in the non-Schengen area behind the customs is also open seven days a week between 6 AM and 9 PM. For more information about the Privium Lounges and a Privium Plus membership you can consult the Schiphol website.
From Saturday, November 6, the face mask obligation will be implemented again at Dutch airports and train stations. This was reported by the Dutch cabinet this week after the corona infections
As a crew manager, you spend a lot of time every day planning your crew changes. A hectic job that we, with our updated Crew.NET tool, can make a lot easier.
The United States will begin admitting travellers with COVID-19 vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) from November 8. On September 20, it was announced that travel restrictions would be
October will see significant changes when entering the United Kingdom (UK). These include the elimination of the ID card as a valid proof of identity to enter the country and the
The fact that a business trip has become so much more complex than before has been a fact of life for the past year and a half. The travel restrictions and


text:
Matt Flinn, a former North Carolina resident who moved to Jackson with his wife, Anna, will open a new coffee shop in Fondren called Native Coffee in March 2020, inside the former location of Deep South Pops. Photo courtesy Native Coffee
Matt Flinn, a former North Carolina resident who moved to Jackson with his wife, Anna, will open a new coffee shop in Belhaven called Native Coffee in March 2020. The shop is at 1800 N. State St. inside the former location of Deep South Pops, which closed in November 2019.
The space is currently undergoing renovations, including the installation of a new oven in the kitchen for breakfast items such as biscuits and pastries. Native Coffee will also offer pour-overs, espressos and craft beers, and will later expand into lunch service, Flinn told the Jackson Free Press.
Flinn formerly worked for a North Carolina coffee roaster called Back Alley Coffee Roasters, which has since changed its name to Black and White. While the Flinns will roast their own coffee at the shop, they also plan to carry Black and White coffee.
"Coffee has an incredible amount of flavor notes, maybe even more than wine, and we want to offer consistently great coffee in Jackson that's not available just anywhere, but without the pretentiousness you might get with other craft coffee" Flinn says. "The shop is called Native Coffee because we want everyone here to feel like they're a native in a cafe culture they can call home."
Native Coffee will be open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call 662-397-4583, visit the shop's website or find the cafe on Facebook.
Sweetie Pie's Reopens in Jackson
Sweetie Pie's, a St. Louis-based soul food restaurant that became famous after landing a reality show on the Oprah Winfrey Network, opened for business in Jackson in January 2020. Sweetie Pie's originally attempted to open at the Plaza Building in downtown Jackson in August 2019, but a series of problems led to that location closing in December that year. The new location, called Sweetie Pie's Live, is at 100 E. South St. in downtown Jackson.
The menu at Sweetie Pie's includes items such as baked or fried chicken, smothered pork steak, fried pork chops, chicken wings, short ribs, catfish, roast beef, meat loaf, oxtails and more, as well as sides such as baked beans, coleslaw, okra, potato salad, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and more. The restaurant also offers daily specials with different menu items and a choice of two or three sides each day.
Sweetie Pie's is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, call 769-524-4843 or visit sweetiepieskitchen.com./sweetie-pies-live.
1908 Provisions Now Offering Dinner Service
1908 Provisions, the restaurant inside the Fairview Inn (734 Fairview St., 601-948-3429, ext. 305) in Jackson's Belhaven neighborhood, recently announced that it is now offering dinner service at the restaurant's Library Lounge Monday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The new dinner menu includes items such as chilled oysters, seafood gumbo, gulf redfish, scallops, filet mignon, cavatappi pasta and more, as well as daily chef's specials. 1908 Provisions' dinner service will also feature red, white or bubbly wines by the glass.
The Library Lounge, which is also housed in Fairview Inn, will serve small plates and cocktails until midnight Monday through Thursday and until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The restaurant will also have happy hour specials Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Lunch service at the Library Lounge is Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the restaurant also hosts weekly Trivia Tuesday events in the Library Lounge beginning at 7 p.m.
Meanwhile, 1908 Provisions itself serves brunch on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For more information, call 601-948-3429 or visit fairviewinn.com/1908provisions.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story stated that Native Coffee is located in Fondren. It is located in the Belhaven neighborhood. We apologize for the error.


text:
Roger Hymas has been made special adviser on strategy and marketingat the Rubicon Corporation. Currently a non-executive director of RubiconHealth, he will assume responsibility for advising on strategic directionand marketing.
- Ardonagh picks up selected renewal rights from Ageas Retail in £7m deal
- Eldon Insurance states none of its data was used by Leave.eu campaign
- Towergate owners post £261m loss for 2017
- Ex-Das CEO Paul Asplin stands trial for fraud
- Two thirds of UK manufacturers lack cyber insurance cover
- Ardonagh looking at deals worth £500m
- SSP adds Pex Insure to panel


text:
Banijay-owned Endemol Shine North America, producers of Fox’s Lego Masters, has struck a deal with YouTube domino artist Lily Hevesh to develop the competition series Domino Effect.
The company plans to take the supersized unscripted series to the marketplace in the coming weeks.
Hevesh (pictured), a 21-year-old domino artist based in Boston, has nearly three million subscribers to her YouTube channel.
Among her list of domino accomplishments, she shares a 2017 Guinness World Record for largest domino circle field, and as a member of a 19-person team she broke the American domino record with 250,000 toppling dominoes in one creation.
Hevesh has also led builds for movies such as Will Smith’s Collateral Beauty and television series including Saturday Night Live.
She also helped launch Katy Perry’s Witness album with a special domino build, in addition to creating numerous projects for brands such as Ford, Disney Pixar, Lego, Honda and Gillette.
This isn’t Endemol Shine’s first foray into the world of competitive domino builds. From 1998-2009, Endemol in the Netherlands produced Domino Day, a program that caught the action as competitors attempted to break world domino toppling records with their builds. Endemol Shine International handled distribution for the program, which was set to return in 2020 according to social media posts. Those plans were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
(With files from Barry Walsh)


text:
BRUSSELS: The European Union on Thursday cleared a mobile phone tie-up between Hong Kong’s Hutchison and Russia’s VimpelCom in Italy after they agreed to sell some of the business to boost competition.
Hutchison, owned by Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing, and VimpelCom agreed last year to merge their 3 Italia and Wind networks but the European Commission demanded they make room for new entrants in the Italian market.
In July, France’s Illiad, parent company of low-cost operator Free, said it would acquire frequencies and radio towers from Hutchison and Vimpelcom.
The Commission, which polices European Union competition policy, said “the effective structural remedies offered by Hutchison and VimpelCom fully address the Commission’s competition concerns.”
“They will ensure the market entry of French telecom operator Iliad as a new mobile network operator in Italy,” it said in a statement.
“This means that the parties can grow and reap the benefits of combining their assets, whilst Italian mobile customers will continue to profit from effective competition.”
VimpelCom’s Wind business currently ranks third in the Italian market and Hutchison fourth but together they will become the largest entity ahead of Telecom Italia’s Tim and Britain’s Vodafone.
When they announced the tie-up last year, they said the new venture would have some 31 million mobile phone clients and sales of more than six billion euros.
VimpelCom is controlled by Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman while Norwegian telecoms group Telenor holds a third of the company.


text:
Updates usually bring their own problems and it looks like the latest version of the OS has brought a very peculiar one to the iPhone X.
Your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch should automatically offer to upgrade you to iOS 11.2 at some point during the weekend. Apple Pay Cash feature is limited to the U.S. consumers only as the service is only available in the United States.
That seemed to be an embarrassing end to the problems, but late last night reports emerged that Apple's rushed software patch could be just as buggy as the code it was supposed to fix. In addition to the fix for the crashing issue, iOS 11.2 brings a major new feature for iMessage users: Apple Pay Cash.
Luckily, there's a fix, and it's called iOS 11.2. If you're an iPhone X, iPhone 8, or iPhone 8 Plus owner, iOS 11.2 enables faster wireless charging with certain compatible charging pads. The update was released to iOS users this morning, and includes Apple Pay Cash which allows individuals to send and receive money through Messages or by asking the Siri assistant.
It has only been a few days since Apple managed to fix the admin login bypass bug in macOS, and a new problem is already waiting at the doorstep, and it involves a much larger audience. The bug can cause your iPhone to crash because of local recurring notifications which are being used by some apps in the App Store.More news: Batman Ninja Trailer Boasts Impressive Character Design
It must be noted that the bug doesn't now seem to affect users running the iOS 11.2 beta.
So you should update your phone when you get a minute before you encounter this weird clock crash. The new version comes as a savior to the recent 11.1.2 update that caused the phones to malfunction.
Besides the bug fix, iOS 11.2 includes the aforementioned Apple Pay for iMessage for USA users, new wallpaper options for iPhone X users, and a handful of other minor improvements. Users can download the 430.7MB update by navigating to Settings General Software Update. People turned to turning off app notifications or setting any previous date.
How do you turn off notifications for an app?


text:
The UK government has blocked a Royal Mint plan to create a “digital gold” token that would trade on a cryptocurrency exchange.
According to sources cited in Reuters, the British finance ministry refused to approve the 1,100-year old Mint’s plans to issue as much as $1 billion worth of “Royal Mint Gold” (RMG) tokens, which would have been backed by gold assets stored in the the government-owned Mint’s vaults.
“Sadly, due to market conditions this did not prove possible at this time, but we will revisit this if and when market conditions are right,” a Mint spokesperson was cited as saying.
Initially, The Royal Mint had planned to list the tokens on a blockchain-based exchange operated by U.S. derivatives exchange CME, which also manages the largest regulated bitcoin futures market. However, the CME backed out of the partnership just prior to the scheduled launch date late last year, delaying the project and forcing the Mint to pursue a cryptocurrency exchange listing to save the project.
The sources cited in the report suggested that CME, which launched bitcoin futures in Dec. 2017 and has seen minor-but-growing volumes in this market, may be “cooling” toward this nascent asset class. “CME’s management changed, and they walked away, didn’t want to get involved,” one source told the publication.
CCN had first reported the Royal Mint’s plans to create a blockchain asset back in 2016.
Developing…Check back for Updates
Featured Image from Shutterstock
Read original article